Firmware Error

[tlf30]

Hello,
I am currently trying to use a IEEE 802.11b wireless card for my WAN interface, and am receiving the following error:

bwi_v3_ucode could not load firmware image, error 17 pfsense
bwi0: request firmware bwi_v3_ucode failed
bwi0: bwi_init_statechq: error 12 on MAC init

[tlf30]

I understand that I need to install the bwi-firmware-kmod  but I am at a loss on how to do so.

[stephenw10]

The bwi_v3_ucode.ko module is already included in /boot/modules. You can load it manually:

kldload bwi_v3_ucode

or have it loaded at boot time by adding the following to /boot/loader.conf.local (create the file if it doesn't exist)

bwi_v3_ucode_load="yes"

Steve

[tlf30]

Sorry to take so long, I get the message:

kldload: can't load bwi_v3_ucode: File exists

[tlf30]

For the config change for the boot, I get the original error message every time I boot now.

[stephenw10]

Is that the only error you are seeing? There seems to be a known problem with loading some firmware in which the space provided to load the firmware is no longer large enough. This results in errors messages like:

@http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic:

firmware_register: cannot register image bwi_v3_pcm4, firmware table full!
module_register_init: MOD_LOAD (bwi_v3_ucode_fw, 0xc3f7ec80, 0) error 6
bwi_v3_ucode: firmware image loaded, but did not register
bwi0: request firmware bwi_v3_ucode failed
bwi0: bwi_init_statechg: error 12 on MAC init
bwi_v3_ucode: could not load firmware image, error 17
bwi0: request firmware bwi_v3_ucode failed
bwi0: bwi_init_statechg: error 12 on MAC init

You'll notice this contains the exact error message you're seeing. Not sure what error 17 indicates though.  :-\ More Googling required.

Also do you have the exact model number of the card you are using? Perhaps more importantly the chipset number?

Steve

[tlf30]

I am not getting the rest of the errors, only the:

bwi_v3_ucode could not load firmware image, error 17 pfsense
bwi0: request firmware bwi_v3_ucode failed
bwi0: bwi_init_statechq: error 12 on MAC init

Dell Wireless 1390 WLAN (802.11b/g 54Mbps) Mini Card (Broadcom) for the laptop (don't ask), and on our "real" box that is having the same problem I can find out.

We have the exact same errors on both.

[tlf30]

For the main box's chip set,
It's entitled "Instant Wireless(TM) Wireless PCI Card".
It is model # WMP11, serial # BB7273312917, FCC ID PKW-WMP11-V27, IC 3839A-WMP11

http://support.linksys.com/en-us/support/adapters/WMP11

Thank you for your help,
I will be back in internet range in about three weeks.

[stephenw10]

Since those two devices are fairly similar it's perhaps not surprising you're seeing the same error on both:
http://wikidevi.com/wiki/Linksys_WMP11_v2.7
http://wikidevi.com/wiki/Dell_Wireless_1390_WLAN_Mini-Card

Still not sure what it means or what you can do about it.  :-\

Have you tried a 2.1 snapshot?

Steve

[tlf30]

OK, I'm back.

I just put the Snapshot on the box and still no change… Same error message.  :(

[tlf30]

I actually just crashed the whole system when I tried to set the IP to the interface. It was a very exciting, never ending output on the screen until it rebooted!

[tlf30]

I also receive the following text during startup:

 bwi0: [ITHREAD]
bwi0: BBP: id 0x4301, rev 0x2, pkg 0
bwi0: MAC: rev 2
bwi0: PHY: type 1, rev 4, ver 0
bwi0: RF: manu ox17f, type 0x2053, rev 2
bwi0: invalid antenna gain in sprom
bwi0: WARNING: using obsoleted if_watchdog interface

I would really like to know how to fix this.
But, it's quite enjoyable to watch random numbers fly across the screen!

[stephenw10]

At least it's entertaining you.  ;D
I have no idea what you can do to stop it though. If it were me I'd start looking through the FreeBSD forums.

Steve

[tlf30]

Well, OK…
I checked the startup messages again, and it told me that pfSense couldn't load the firmware image because the firmware table was full, or something along that line.
But it isn't, I just installed three more Ethernet cards in it today... ???

[stephenw10]

Most Ethernet cards don't require firmware to loaded at each boot. The firmware table referred to in the error is part of some framework for wifi NICs.

Steve